The World After the Bad Ending

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 133: The Promise with Seron

The boss of Act 5 and the leader of the Mysticism faction, Vulcan Zebra.

Act 5 focuses on defeating Vulcan together with the reincarnators.

And here, the Veil Bandages prove to be particularly useful.

They are used to infiltrate the Mysticism faction led by Vulcan.

After hearing about Mysticism through Vinesha, Lucas becomes aware of its dangers.

So, during the winter break, he uses the Veil Bandages given to him by her to infiltrate Mysticism.

That is the standard, conventional scenario.

Hearing the mention of Vulcan, Musika let out a bitter smile.

Because she knew, at least a little, why Vulcan had become that way.

"I'm sorry that those so-called old heroes ended up bringing their problems into the present."

Before becoming Vulcan, Rosli was undoubtedly a revered hero.

But even heroes have personal lives.

Rosli was broken through a series of events and ultimately spiraled out of control, entangled in Vulcan’s tragic life.

Thus, Mysticism was reborn.

Musika, possessing Vinesha, had been a part of Mysticism.

So, she also knew the stories intertwined with Vulcan.

"But I still think he needs to be stopped."

Musika wanted to stop Vulcan.

The path he was leading Mysticism down brought him no happiness.

It was merely a way to unleash his resentment upon the world.

Musika did not want Vulcan’s fate to end that way.

"So, is that why you’re making this request of me?"

"Yeah. You knew from the start that I was Aquiline's reincarnation, didn’t you? And I’m sure you know far more than just that."

To Musika, I was a truly peculiar existence.

I knew countless secrets about this world that were yet to be revealed.

That was by no means normal.

"To be honest, I don’t fully understand what you are."

She knew that I was Vikamon.

Yet, she still said she didn’t quite know my true identity.

"I, too, was once called the Watcher of Souls. I can see the structure of a soul with absolute clarity. But your soul’s connection to your body is too faint. As if you were merely possessing it."

My shoulders flinched.

So she could see that much.

This was something I couldn’t speak about lightly.

Because I myself didn’t know the full truth either.

And I certainly couldn’t openly admit that I had taken over Vikamon’s body.

That was a story best left untold.

"Even I can’t fully see through you. But despite the faint connection with your body, you remain stable."

It was as if the body’s original owner had naturally accepted a new soul.

"And I can clearly see the mission and resolve you carry in your soul."

Musika stepped closer and tapped my chest with her index finger.

"You want to protect this world, don’t you? That feeling is unmistakable, even now. I once knew someone with a heart just like yours."

So she could even see that.

No wonder she was the greatest soul sorcerer.

"Who was that person?"

If possible, I’d like their help in protecting this world.

"Wolfram."

The great hero.

The one who led the five heroes—his name was mentioned.

"Musika, do you happen to know who Wolfram’s reincarnation is?"

I knew the reincarnations of the other five heroes.

But Wolfram remained a complete mystery.

Since she was the Watcher of Souls, maybe she knew.

As I looked at her with anticipation, Musika chuckled briefly.

"Unfortunately, I don’t. He always used to say things that made no sense. So he was an unpredictable person."

She revealed a longing for the past.

"Because of that, he often did things beyond common sense, which made him particularly troublesome."

Musika shrugged and stepped away from me.

"But I believe he must have reincarnated somewhere. That’s just the kind of person he was."

Her eyes held memories of a distant past.

Long ago, under the dazzling sun, the heroes who protected the world.

She had once stood beside them.

"Man, I was really something back in those days!"

She let out a nostalgic sigh, sounding like an old man reminiscing about past glory.

Even heroes, it seemed, couldn't resist recalling their legendary moments.

"Anyway, that’s why I’m shamelessly asking you this favor. Though, honestly, I feel like you’d end up stopping him regardless."

She was incredibly perceptive.

"Yeah."

I agreed without hesitation.

"I have to keep going until this world returns to its rightful path."

No one knew my fate better than I did.

Lately, I’d been thinking.

Maybe someone brought me here to save this world from its bad ending.

If so, they made the right choice.

Because I was determined to lead this world away from its bad ending and toward a happy one.

"But that’s only until I graduate from the academy."

The world I knew only extended until Lucas safely graduated from Zerion Academy.

Beyond that, even I had no idea what lay ahead.

So I wanted to tell her—

"After that, I hope you, along with everyone else, will lead this world forward."

I would give my all until the very end.

Even if I broke in the process, I would see it through.

And I wanted to tell those who would live in this world afterward—

Please, protect the world that was saved.

Lead it well.

"That sounds like something someone about to leave would say."

Musika tilted her head and looked at me.

"How strange. That person I mentioned used to talk like that all the time too."

Was she talking about Wolfram?

My eyes widened slightly.

Could it be that Wolfram, like me, was also a person who had possessed another body?

For a brief moment, the thought crossed my mind.

But I had no way of knowing where Wolfram was.

It was something I couldn’t confirm.

"Unfortunately, that’s not my role. I’ve already ended up like this."

Musika reached out and placed a hand on Grantoni’s shoulder.

"That’s the duty of the children living in this modern era."

She was right.

Countless students were enrolled in various academies, including Zerion Academy.

They were the future stars who would lead this era.

Musika had guided many as the brightest star of Aquiline.

That was why she now hoped that other students would carry on the light instead of her.

"And that includes you too, Hannon."

Musika pointed at me.

"Don’t exclude yourself from that. You’re also living in this era, aren’t you?"

She smiled, but there was a trace of sadness in her eyes.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

"You know the effect of the Veil Bandages, don’t you? They take away love, anger, and sorrow."

Thanks to glimpsing into Vinesha’s memories, Musika knew about this.

That was why she reminded me of it.

Love, anger, and sorrow.

I had almost lost my love.

My anger had mostly faded away as well.

The only thing left was sorrow.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure about sorrow.

I even wondered if not feeling sorrow was a good thing.

But I once had a conversation with a doctor when I was undergoing treatment for facial paralysis.

It started with my question—whether practicing a sad expression was necessary.

"Sorrow is the most human emotion. It allows us to empathize with the pain of others and feel their suffering as our own."

If anger was an explosion, sorrow was a calm stillness.

Those who understand sorrow know how to empathize and comfort others.

But those who do not know sorrow cannot even do that.

Human emotions are ambiguous.

If even one emotion is lost, the balance crumbles.

‘Perhaps the Veil Bandages…’

Maybe they were making me increasingly numb to these emotions.

Unlike before, I no longer hesitated to use the Veil Bandages.

That was probably because my anger was fading away.

Anger arises when one’s rights are violated, and harm is forced upon them.

Yet, even though the Veil Bandages were stripping away my emotions,

I did not feel anger nor resist it.

"Protecting the world is certainly a noble cause."

Musika whispered to me, urging me to make a promise.

"But you are also a part of this world. Take care of yourself, Hannon. You are the benefactor of me, Vinesha, and Grantoni."

"I promise."

I decided to keep Musika’s words close to my heart.

"Well then, that’s all I have to say. Grantoni should be able to reach the Demon Dungeon without any problems."

From behind Musika, Grantoni made a V-sign with his fingers.

"Soulmate, see you tomorrow."

"Yeah, take care of both of us tomorrow."

The conversation ended peacefully.

Now, I had to find one last person.

Just as I picked up my chair and slid open the door—

"Ah!"

A startled voice rang out, and someone collapsed to the floor.

My eyes widened as I saw the scene before me.

Outside, I spotted a familiar head of red hair.

Her forehead gleamed under the light seeping through the window.

"Seron?"

When I called her name, Seron got up with a flustered expression.

"W-Well, I heard that you, Prince Sweet Potato, did something on the first-year floor… So, I followed you."

She had tracked me down?

"And I thought about surprising you at the door, so I was waiting…"

But in the process, Seron had overheard something she shouldn’t have.

"…Prince Sweet Potato, what do you mean by losing love, anger, and sorrow?"

After finishing her question, she bit her lip and looked up at me.

She was asking if what she heard was true.

I silently met her gaze.

At that moment, Seron stepped toward me.

"Take it off. Now."

She reached for my bandages.

"Take that thing off right now!"

I hurriedly grabbed her wrist.

"Seron, calm down."

"How can I be calm?!"

She shouted with a fierce voice.

"The person who taught me what love is is losing his love—how can I possibly stay calm?!"

She said such an embarrassing thing so easily.

But seeing the tears in her eyes, I knew she was serious.

"I don’t want this."

Seron gripped my wrist tightly.

"I don’t know what you’re trying to do, Prince Sweet Potato. But I don’t want you to go through with it like this."

Her tears trickled down.

I watched her for a moment before slowly releasing her wrist.

She was a tough yet soft-hearted girl.

And she truly cared about me.

"Seron."

She looked up at me slowly.

I reached out and wiped away her tears.

"If you cry twice in a day, your eyes will swell."

"Whose fault do you think that is?"

"Yeah, you’re right. So make sure to make me cry like this someday, too."

I couldn’t promise her that I would stop using the Veil Bandages.

As Vikamon, I would become an adult next year.

Once I did, I would no longer be able to enter the Demon Dungeon.

Until then, I still needed the Veil Bandages.

I couldn’t bring myself to say I would remove them.

So instead, I made a request to this fiery girl who worried about me.

"Make me cry my heart out."

To awaken the sorrow I still had left.

"And make me angry too."

To rekindle the anger that was fading away.

"And lastly, let me understand the love that you’ve come to know."

To reclaim the love I had lost.

I entrusted this to Seron.

Hearing my words, she reached out and pulled me into a tight embrace, pressing my face against her chest.

"Got it. A hundred times, a thousand times over, I’ll do it for you."

Perhaps, this was the first promise I had made for my future self.

And I made that promise with Seron.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]